Killgore Promoted to Assistant Coach
2/21/2025 1:49:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HOUSTON – Legendary Rice soccer goalkeeper Bella Killgore was promoted to assistant coach for the upcoming 2025 season, Rice soccer head coach Brian Lee announced. Killgore was the goalkeeper coach on the Rice staff this past season, which was honored as the AAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
"Bella is a special person with a deep understanding of what it takes to excel at Rice," Lee said. "Our student-athletes will benefit on the field, in the classroom and in life every day from having Bella with us."
During her first season on the coaching staff, Killgore helped develop graduate transfer Faith Hutchins into an AAC All-Conference Second Team selection. Hutchins pitched eight shutouts on the season en route to 12 wins. She became only the third Rice keeper to record 100 saves in a season, joining Amanda Garrison (106 - 2001) and Killgore (103 - 2021).
Hutchins finished the season ranked (in the conference) second in save percentage (.82), third in saves (100), third in shutouts (8), and third in saves per game (5.00). In Rice single-game history she was third in saves (100), fifth in shutouts (8), tied for fifth in wins (12) and ninth in minutes played (1777).
Killgore returned home for the 2024 season, after playing her college days with the Owls from 2018-22. During her five-year career, Rice captured two regular season titles and one CUSA tournament title (2020-21), where the Owls advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. She was a two-time CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, two-time All-CUSA First Team and a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honoree in 2021.
She currently holds the school records in games started (90), wins (46), saves (375), and goalie minutes played (7589:04), while being second in career shutouts (25). Killgore started 90 consecutive matches from her freshman to senior year.
"Bella is a special person with a deep understanding of what it takes to excel at Rice," Lee said. "Our student-athletes will benefit on the field, in the classroom and in life every day from having Bella with us."
During her first season on the coaching staff, Killgore helped develop graduate transfer Faith Hutchins into an AAC All-Conference Second Team selection. Hutchins pitched eight shutouts on the season en route to 12 wins. She became only the third Rice keeper to record 100 saves in a season, joining Amanda Garrison (106 - 2001) and Killgore (103 - 2021).
Hutchins finished the season ranked (in the conference) second in save percentage (.82), third in saves (100), third in shutouts (8), and third in saves per game (5.00). In Rice single-game history she was third in saves (100), fifth in shutouts (8), tied for fifth in wins (12) and ninth in minutes played (1777).
Killgore returned home for the 2024 season, after playing her college days with the Owls from 2018-22. During her five-year career, Rice captured two regular season titles and one CUSA tournament title (2020-21), where the Owls advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. She was a two-time CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, two-time All-CUSA First Team and a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honoree in 2021.
She currently holds the school records in games started (90), wins (46), saves (375), and goalie minutes played (7589:04), while being second in career shutouts (25). Killgore started 90 consecutive matches from her freshman to senior year.
Players Mentioned
GK
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