Embracing a New Challenge
Raelyn Roberson, Samantha Nieves, & Jack Hoagland
When SMU announced its move to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2024, the Mustangs embraced a new era of competition and opportunities.
But what did this transition mean for student-athletes representing SMU on the field, track, and pool?
We invited Jack Hoagland (Swim & Dive), Raelyn Roberson (Track & Field), and Samantha Nieves (Women’s Soccer) to share their experiences and perspectives on joining the ACC.
Same Culture, New Conference
While conference realignment changed many logistics on a macro level, it didn’t affect the soccer program’s vision or its players’ mindsets.
They were still Mustangs, and they still wanted to win.
“I think that, overall, the goal has always been the same,” said Nieves. “That’s to be competitive and strive to reach our potential.”
She credited her head coach, Nicole Nelson, who reminded her players to focus on what was important.
“The results matter, but what helps us get to those results is everybody individually reaching their potential and then the team reaching its potential as a whole,” said Nieves.
Nieves is grateful for the resources SMU gives its student-athletes to reach new levels of success. The university’s support helps them prepare for more challenging competition.
“I think if anything has changed, I would say the standard has only gotten higher,” Nieves said. “That’s been a great recognition from the coaches to raise that standard and make it consistent day in, day out, making sure that we are doing all of the little things and all of the big things to stay competitive in this conference.”
Leveling Up
Every program is still chasing championships, but those crowns are more challenging in the ACC.
The ACC is the only conference that requires track and field athletes to meet certain time standards to qualify for the conference championships.
Roberson said navigating the qualifying standards was an adjustment for the Mustangs.
“The pressure is on at every meet because we’re trying to hit the standard,” Roberson said.
However, every athlete who qualifies will have an important opportunity to represent SMU on a new stage.
“We have to go in and be like, ‘Yeah, we just joined this conference, but we belong here,’” Roberson said. “That’s one of the things we think about when heading to meets. At the end of the day, I still got to the same conference meet as you.”
Hoagland said the swim and dive team also leaned into their new identity.
“We were the new guys in the league, and because of that, it kind of put a chip on our shoulder,” he said. “Every single day in practice, we’re going to work just a little bit harder, knowing that that difference could absolutely have a drastic impact.”
Having spent his first four years of college in the ACC at Notre Dame, Hoagland was very familiar with the level of competition they would face.
He shared these experiences with his teammates, providing insights on the competition, potential times, and meet strategy.
Some of his most significant advice came on how the guys approached the morning prelims.
Now competing against a stronger overall field, going hard and hitting fast times in the morning was essential to qualify for the final later that day.
“It was just an extreme culture change back to my normal, but definitely new for a lot of our guys,” Hoagland said. “It was very, very interesting to see that kind of growth and development within each person and to understand that this is the expectation now.”
“I think if anything has changed, I would say the standard has only gotten higher,” Nieves said. “That’s been a great recognition from the coaches to raise that standard and make it consistent day in, day out, making sure that we are doing all of the little things and all of the big things to stay competitive in this conference.”
Reppin’ the Red and Blue
Whether they’re in the AAC or ACC, Hoagland, Nieves, and Roberson are all grateful to compete for SMU.
“I think one of the best parts about playing for SMU is that they’re truly going to do everything they can to provide you with as many resources as possible,” Nieves said.
Roberson echoed a similar sentiment, citing SMU’s culture and community as the reasons she chose to become a Mustang in the first place.
“I wanted to make sure that I would be on a close team, and our coaches and the athletes have done a great job of fostering that tight-knit culture and making sure that we all are cheering for each other,” Roberson said. “That goes a long way, especially in track and field. Having that tight-knit community and teammates that enjoy being around each other is very beneficial.”
That sense of community extends beyond their individual teams.
Hoagland, Nieves, and Roberson are all active members of the ACC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where they help represent the voice of their peers and shape the student-athlete experience on campus.
Joining the ACC has opened up new leadership opportunities for them—traveling to in-person meetings, engaging with student-athlete reps from across the conference, and contributing to conversations at a national level.
As a graduate transfer, Hoagland is especially thankful for how quickly he felt included.
“(It’s awesome) just being a part of the team with some guys who really want you there, not only for your swimming abilities, but for who you are as a person, and the same goes with the coaching staff,” Hoagland said.
After one year of competing in the ACC, it’s safe to say the Mustangs made their mark.
And while the new conference rivalries are still developing, Nieves shared a message for their ACC opponents.
“This was just the beginning, and we’re only getting better from here on out.”