With the University of Florida and University of Colorado ready to sign her in 2022, Brianna Hoffman made a decision she has never regretted.
“I chose Blinn College,” the sophomore midfielder said. “The team was growing year-to-year and I wanted to be a part of something important. I wanted to help the program move forward and I wanted to grow as a player. I knew this was going to be the place for me.”
She was right.
In two seasons, Hoffman has helped the Buccaneer women’s soccer team secure a pair of playoff berths, including a record-breaking 2023 campaign that has seen the squad notch team records in goals scored, overall wins, Region XIV victories, and its Region XIV South Division title. Hoffman has been at the forefront of that success with a team-high eight goals this fall and a program-record 12 since her arrival in August 2022.
Heavily recruited out of Atascocita High School (Humble, Texas), Hoffman was spotted by Blinn head women’s coach Alexandria Jackson during an Elite Club National League tournament. Even on a team made up of Division I recruits, Hoffman stood out.
“You could see right away that she was such a determined individual and was willing to do the dirty work on offense and defense,” said Jackson. “She just came off as being really passionate about the game and that has translated to her time at Blinn.”
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore midfielder Brianna Hoffman fires a shot against Paris Junior College on Sept. 19, 2023)
Hoffman’s determination was tested during her freshman season, as injuries and her role as a reserve limited her to just 10 games (four starts). Despite the ups and downs of her debut year, Hoffman still finished with four goals – second most on the team – and prepared to enter 2023 with a renewed competitive edge.
“My freshman season didn’t always go the way I wanted it to, but I knew I could contribute more and help my team more than I had,” Hoffman explained, “so I trained in the summer and came back this fall ready to make an impact.”
With eight goals and five assists this season, Hoffman ranks second on the team with 21 points and owns a pair of two-score games. She has asserted herself as one of the Bucs’ most reliable starters both on offense and defense and has impressed Jackson with an unbridled hunger to improve.
“Brianna dug in and improved after her freshman year,” said Jackson. “She evolved exponentially and became invaluable to us. She’s built from passion and determination and brings that to all aspects of her game. She’s a perfect example for our younger players.”
Jackson suggested Hoffman’s most noteworthy trait is her unselfish play on the field, which has allowed both her and her teammates to flourish.
“She has the perfect mindset in that she understands that she can still make an impact without having to score all of the goals,” Jackson said. “She’s as willing to pass and hand out an assist to a teammate as she is to score when given the opportunity. She’s making everyone else around her better.”
(Pictured: Blinn’s Brianna Hoffman controls the ball during a match against Ronin Soccer Club on Aug. 27, 2023)
Freshman midfielder Eleanor Sargeant, who has five goals with a team-high 12 assists, and has born witness to Hoffman’s grit on the field.
“She’s a very forward player — goal-to-goal — every time she has the ball,” Sargeant said. “She works hard and you can see her using her soccer IQ in real time. She knows when to drive forward with the ball and when to pass; she knows when to hold the ball and when it’s time to shoot. It comes down to being able to trust her to make the right decisions and take the right shots, and she does.”
Sargeant joked that on numerous in-game occasions this fall, she has shouted at Hoffman to “shoot it,” only for Hoffman to oblige her teammate with a goal.
“That trust and that belief from my teammates makes me feel good and just keeps driving me,” Hoffman said. “Knowing they believe in me and can rely on me in big situations and having that trust and respect on the field means the world to me.”
Hoffman plans to major in business once she graduates from Blinn, and is eyeing a handful of Division I programs as she prepares for her next chapter in education and soccer.
“Brianna is going to be an important part of any team she joins after she leaves Blinn,” Jackson said. “She’s just that type of player that will be the right fit regardless of how you use her. She’s the type of player you get excited about because you watch her play and realize anything is possible for her.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.?
