Aggies Ink Elite Class of Seven for 2026 Campaign

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M soccer team received certification of the appropriate paperwork for seven of the most coveted high school players in the nation, the Aggie coaching staff announced Monday. 

The staff mined the mother lode of talent in California with six signees, including Makenna August (Temecula/Legends FC/Temecula Valley HS), Ireland Churchill (Eastvale/Slammers FC HB Koge/Roosevelt HS), Juliet Haras (Glendora/Legends FC/Glendora), Finley Lacher (Fullerton/Slammers FC HB Koge/El Dorado), Sami Ruiz (Corona/Legends FC/Santiago) and Kieana Smith (Murrieta/San Diego Surf/Vista Murrieta). They also attracted north Texas talent with Frisco's Morgan Landry who starred with Solar SC and Wakeland High School.

"First off, I would like to recognize the work put in by our recruiting coordinator Seth Taylor and assistant coach Alyssa Mautz Bower to assemble a top-ranked recruiting class," assistant coach Tim Strader said. "This class will deeply strengthen our championship culture established by Coach G and propel us towards our goal of competing for a 19th conference championship and returning to deep postseason runs in the NCAA Tournament in the years ahead."

The class has been identified as one of the top 15 in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer.com and features a bevy of national team experience, including stints with the United States and Mexico youth squads.

"Our 2026 recruiting class adds creative and proven goal scorers, dynamic and gritty midfielders and a proven goalkeeper that will complement our returners," Strader said. "This group knows what it means to compete for championships, not just nationally, but on the international stage as well."

The recruiting class once again is chocked full of players who have picked up academic accolades in their prep careers along with shining on the field. 

TEXAS A&M SOCCER 2026 SIGNING CLASS 

Player	Position	Hometown	Club Team	High School
Makenna August	Goalkeeper	Temecula, Calif.	Legends FC	Temecula Valley
Ireland Churchill	Forward	Eastvale, Calif.	Slammers FC HB Koge	Roosevelt
Juliet Haras	Defender	Glendora, Calif.	Legends FC	Glendora
Finley Lacher	Forward	Fullerton, Calif.	Slammers FC HB Koge	El Dorado
Morgan Landry	Forward	Frisco, Texas	Solar SC	Wakeland
Sami Ruiz	Midfielder	Corona, Calif.	Legends FC	Santiago
Kieana Smith	Forward	Murrieta, Calif.	San Diego Surf	Vista Murrieta

MAKENNA AUGUST – Goalkeeper – Temecula, Calif. (Legends FC / Temecula Valley HS) 

• Played eight seasons for Legends FC under the tutelage of coaches Ryan Casey, Josh Hodges and Ever Morataya
• Led Legends to ECNL National Finalist spot in 2022 and 2023 and ECNL Southwest title in 2023
• Selected ECNL All-Southwest Second Team in 2024
• Participated in U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Identification Camp in 2022 and Capelli Sports +ID North America Team in 2024 and 2025
• Lettered in soccer at Temecula Valley High School playing for Coach C.J. Guinn
• Led squad to CIF state playoff second round as a sophomore
• Claimed Principal's Honor Roll distinction all four years

 Coach Strader says... "Makenna is a tall, athletics goalkeeper and she is one of the best communicators I have ever seen at the youth level. She knows how to command a backline with her presence and put her teammates in places to be successful as a leader. She is also an elite shot stopper with exceptional distribution to spark counterattacks. Her competitive drive and desire to win is invaluable and we cannot wait for her arrival in Aggieland." 


 IRELAND CHURCHILL – Forward – Eastvale, Calif. (Slammers FC HB Koge / Roosevelt HS) 

• Played for Slammers FC HB Koge from 2021-25 for Coach Cheyne Gordon
• Tournament accomplishments with Slammers FC HB Koge ECNL include Southwest Conference U17 ECNL semifinals, Southwest Conference U17 ECNL league champions, ECNL National U16 quarterfinals and ECNL National U15 semifinals
• Also played for San Juan Capistrano Blues ECNL for Coach Greg Baker in 2020-21
• Four-year letter winner at Roosevelt High School for Andrew Tillekhooh, serving as team captain all four years
• Led Mustangs to a combined 56-14-11 record
• Picked up California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division I Player of the Year in 2024 along with All-CIF Southern Section all three seasons
• Claimed All-Inland Empire three seasons, along with All-Big VIII First Team in 2023 and 2024 and Second Team in 2025
• Earned team MVP all three years, amassing 82 goals and 30 assists
• Owns high school's single season (29) and career (82) goals records along with setting the single season (15) and career (30) assists marks
• Claimed CIF Southern Section All-Academic Team all three seasons

Coach Strader says... "Ireland comes to A&M from HBK Slammers out of Southern California. She is a versatile and dynamic playmaker that opposing teams will have to keep a constant eye on in the attacking third. She possesses the ability to not only score in the run of play, but she is also extremely dangerous on set pieces making her an elite attacking-minded player. An ECNL All-American who has won at the highest levels of the game, Ireland brings a championship pedigree that is sure to entertain our supporters at Ellis Field for years to come." 

 
JULIET HARAS – Defender – Glendora, Calif. (Legends FC / Glendora HS) 

• Played for Legends FC from 2018-25 under the tutelage of coaches Ever Morataya, Rick Young and Ryan Casey
• Led Legends to ECNL National Finalist spot in 2022 and 2023 and ECNL Southwest title in 2023
• Four-year letter winner at Glendora High School playing for Coach Shannon Kent
• Led Tartans to a 24-13-9 mark the last two seasons, including the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation tournament in 2025.
• Selected All-Palomares League First Team her first three seasons
• Also lettered in track & field, earning All-Palomares First Team in the 4x100 in 2025
• Played for Sporting California Arsenal FC in 2017-18
• Earned Academic All-Palomares League distinction in soccer and track & field as a junior
• Father, Kevin Haras, played soccer at Azusa Pacific University

Coach Strader says... "Juliet comes to Aggieland from Legends FC out of Southern California. Shie is a versatile, athletic and gritty defensive midfielder who has an incredible ability to score on set pieces. She possesses the athleticism to cover ground 18-to-18 and break lines with her passing. Defensively she will be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC because of her tenacity and ability to defend. She is the type of player who will make the big tackle that will energize Ellis Field on the defensive side of the ball and win the game on a set piece." 

 
FINLEY LACHER – Forward – Fullerton, Calif. (Slammers FC HB Koge / El Dorado HS) 

• Played for Slammers FC HB Koge for coaches Zaid Khory, Craig Bull, Pete Aguirre and Cheyne Gordon
• Helped squad to ECNL national titles in 2022 and 2025
• Claimed ECNL All-American recognition on two occasions
• Also recognized as ECNL All-Southwest in 2022 and 2024
• Earned four stars from TopDrawerSoccer.com recruiting
• Lettered four years at El Dorado High School for Coach Kyle Thomas
• Led Golden Hawks to a pair of California Interscholastic Federation quarterfinal appearances
• Broke school records for most goals in a season as a sophomore in 2023
• Also set El Dorado's career record for goals in just two seasons
• Earned All-Century League on two occasions and Century League Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore
• Mother played soccer at UC Irvine while father played baseball at Fullerton College

Coach Strader says... "Finley is another product of HBK Slammers out of Southern California. She is a dynamic 1-v-1 artist in the flanks who will terrorize opposing teams' backlines with her ability to get to the byline and create goal-scoring moments. Finley's ability to score clutch goals and the athleticism to finish dynamic runs to the back post will add immediate value to our attack. Finley has the competitive drive that the 12th Man is sure to love." 

 
MORGAN LANDRY – Forward – Frisco, Texas (Solar SC / Wakeland HS) 

• Played for Solar Soccer Club
• Lettered at Wakeland High School for Coach Jimmie Lankford
• Earned United Soccer Coaches All-Region in 2024 and 2025
• Guided Wolverines to a 24-0-2 mark and a Texas Class 5A DII state title as a sophomore in 2024
• Garnered District 9-5A Co-Offensive Player of the Year and All-District 9-5A First Team in 2024
• Earned Dallas Morning News District 12-5A Midfielder of the Year and District 12-5 First Team in 2025
• Claimed UIL State All-Tournament recognition, TASCO All-State First Team and All-Region 2-5A First Team in 2025
• Guided the Wolverines to the Texas Class 5A title match in 2025
• Finished her junior season with 50 points on 17 goals and 16 assists

Coach Strader says... "Morgan brings ECNL Championship experience with her to Aggieland and she is the lone Texan in the class out of FC Dallas and Wakeland High School. Morgan is an athletic and dynamic playmaker. She will add immediate value to our team with her ability on the dribble to unlock teams in 1-v-1 situations and create goal-scoring moments in the final third. She is an instinctive player who reads the game at an elite level. She is sure to quickly become a fan favorite due to her goal-scoring ability."

 
SAMI RUIZ – Forward – Corona, Calif. (Legends FC / Santiago HS) 

• Owns experience with both United States and Mexico Youth National Team
• Played for Mexico U17 National Team last two years, earning bronze medal at the 2025 U17 World Cup
• Spent time with US Soccer U16 National Team in 2023
• Played eight years with Legends FC under the tutelage of coaches Josh Hodges, Rick Young, Ever Morataya Ryan Cassey and Manny Plascencia
• Claimed ECNL All-America First Team recognition in 2025
• Earned ECNL All-Southwest in 2024
• Four-year letter winner at Santiago High School for Coach Mike Fleming
• Helped Sharks to a combined 69-8-5 record from 2022-25
• Led Santiago to CIF Southern Section Open Division title in 2024, three Big VIII League crowns

Coach Strader says... "Sami is a proven midfielder out of Southern California by way of Legends FC. She brings invaluable international experience having earned international matches this fall with Mexico's Under-17 team. Sami played a pivotal role in helping guide Mexico to a third-place finish over Brazil and she's sure to quickly become a fan favorite. Sami has a brilliant mind for the game with her ability to solve the game in tight spaces, deliver key passes into the attacking third and score goals at an elite rate. Having earned ECNL All-American this past season, we are excited to bring her experience to the Aggies and the SEC. 

 
KIEANA SMITH – Forward – Murrieta, Calif. (San Diego Surf / Vista Murrieta HS) 

• Played seven years for San Diego Surf ECNL for coach Andres Deza
• During her club career she has led team to Surf Cup, Surf College Cup, Club America Cup and Blues Cup titles
• Registered 18 goals and seven assists and 23 games during the 2023-24 ECNL season
• Participated in the 2023 US Soccer Girls Talent ID Center in Norco, California
• Three-year letter winner at Vista Murrieta High School playing for Coach Ryan Heise
• Earned All-Southwestern League First Team in 2025
• Logged 16 points for the Broncos on seven goals and two assists in 16 games in 2024-25
• Tallied 25 points on 11 goals and three assists in 22 games during the 2023-24 campaign
• Sister Abria Smith plays at Cal Poly Pomona

Coach Strader says... "Kieana arrives in Aggieland via another one of the premier clubs in the country in San Diego Surf ECNL out of Southern California. She is a dynamic dribbler who knows how to create her own goal-scoring opportunities in and around the final third. Kieana is the right mix of powerful finisher with composure in front of goal that will threaten backlines. She has the ability to make back shoulder runs off the ball in the final third, which is an elite and invaluable skill set that will put us in dangerous moments to win big games in the years ahead."