SPRINGFIELD – The future of Missouri State women's soccer is taking shape, as head coach Kirk Nelson announced Wednesday that six new Bears have signed financial aid agreements for the 2026 season.
 
Joining the Bears are:

• Marleigh Allen • F • 5-9 • Eureka, Mo. • Eureka High (Lou Fusz GA)
• Ariya Barton • F • 5-7 • Columbia, Mo. • Christian Fellowship School (Lou Fusz GA)
• Tassia Curtis • D • 5-5 • Schomberg, Ontario, Canada • St. Maximillian Kolbe Catholic High (Juventus Academy Toronto)
• Thea Dimitroff • D • 5-4 • Glen Carbon, Ill. • Edwardsville High (St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL Navy)
• Mayah Robinson • D • 5-5 • Caledon, Ontario, Canada • Robert F Hall Catholic Secondary (Woodbridge Soccer Club)
• Brenna West • M/D • 5-7 • St. Louis, Mo. • Lindbergh High (Lou Fusz GA)

 
"We are excited about our first season in Conference USA and getting to the Championship Finals.  A strong foundation has been set for us to build upon moving into this next year," Nelson said. "With that, this 2026 class brings in a wealth of experience and will help us continue to compete at a high level.  Expectations are high for this class, and we strongly feel they will come in and help us immediately"

Marleigh Allen
Allen plays for Eureka High School and Lou Fusz GA in Eureka, Mo. A two-year starter for the Wildcats, she helped lead her team to a second-place finish at the Missouri Class 4 state championships as a sophomore, posting 14 goals and one assist. She earned first-team all-conference honors that season and added three goals and an assist in four games as a junior before being sidelined by injury.

Associate Head Coach Cory Herchenroeder on Allen:
"Marleigh is a strong, athletic attacking player. She has the ability to beat players with pace, or hold up play and create opportunities for her teammates. Marleigh also has the ability to be an aerial threat on crosses and set pieces. We are very excited to add Marleigh to the Bears family."

Ariya Barton
Barton plays for Lou Fusz and Christian Fellowship School in Columbia, Mo. A four-year starter for the Knights, she has guided her team to three consecutive MCSAA state championship appearances, winning titles as a sophomore and junior. Barton is a two-time MCSAA All-State and MVP selection, with standout totals that include 38 goals and 15 assists as a freshman, 25 goals and 8 assists as a sophomore, and 40 goals with 13 assists as a junior. At the club level, she competed with Lou Fusz, helping lead the team to a Girls Academy National Championship and a national semifinal appearance.

Coach Herchenroeder on Barton:
"Ariya is someone I would consider to be a tenacious attacker. Ariya's athleticism and ability to take people on 1v1 makes her extremely dangerous going forward. She's also someone I would consider a true goal-scorer, she always finds herself in areas to put the ball in the back of the net. We are very excited to add Ariya to the Bears family."

Tassia Curtis
Curtis competes for Juventus Academy Toronto, one of Ontario's premier youth programs. She has helped her club capture multiple provincial and national titles, including the 2024 provincial and national championships. Curtis has been ranked among the Top 60 Girls in Canada multiple times by FTF Canada, earning a high of No. 11 overall. She has also collected numerous MVP honors and all-tournament selections in national events.

Coach Herchenroeder on Curtis:
"Tassia is an outside back that utilizes her athleticism in being a physical 1v1 defender, but also having the pace to get forward. She has an outstanding left foot that creates a ton of opportunities in the attack. Tassia is going to be a great addition to our already strong back line. We are very excited to add Tassia to the Bears family!"

Thea Dimitroff 
Dimitroff plays for Edwardsville High School and St. Louis Scott Gallagher Navy. A four-year starter for the Tigers, the Glen Carbon, Ill. native helped lead Edwardsville to a fourth-place state finish in 2023. Dimitroff has tallied 19 assists and 10 goals in her career and has earned multiple all-conference honors, including first-team recognition as a sophomore.

Coach Herchenroeder on Dimitroff:
"Thea is an attacker that can find success in combination play and keeping really good possession, or she can use her athleticism to get in behind.  She is also a gritty defender that will immediately help us in our press.  Thea is going to be a great addition to our front line and we are very excited to add Thea to the Bears family."

Mayah Robinson
Robinson plays for Woodbridge Soccer Club and is a defender from Caledon, Ontario. She has developed through one of Ontario's top youth systems, earning experience in high-level competition across Canada. Known for her composure and defensive organization, Robinson has been a key contributor to Woodbridge's success at both the regional and national levels.

Coach Herchenroeder on Robinson:
"Mayah is a strong, athletic defender that can play centrally or in the wide area. She is very good in possession and she brings a ton of leadership qualities with her in to the team. Mayah will come in with a drive to impact our back line right away. We are very excited to add Mayah to the Bears Family"

Brenna West
West plays for Lindbergh High School and Lou Fusz. The St. Louis, Mo. native helped lead her club to a Girls Academy National Championship and multiple Frontier Conference titles, along with two national semifinal appearances. At Lindbergh, she led the team in assists and ranked second in goals as a freshman, earning Newcomer of the Year honors. West has also been recognized as a Top Drawer Soccer and SoccerWire showcase standout.

Coach Herchenroeder on West:
"Brenna is a player that can help us find success in the midfield and/or in the backline. Brenna has an extremely high soccer IQ that will help her find a ton of success at our level. Couple her IQ with her athleticism and ability to win tackles and she becomes a very high level player for us. We are very excited to add Brenna to the Bears family."