University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana UnLimited: Soccer's Queen Be(e)-dre
8/31/2023 5:14:00 PM | Soccer, Louisiana UnLimited
Super Senior looks to move up higher in Ragin' Cajuns record books
LAFAYETTE – As a high school recruit coming out of Southern California, Karleen Bedre didn't really envision herself playing on the soccer fields of south Louisiana.
She also didn't expect to go through three coaching staffs in her tenure as a collegiate soccer player, breaking her future roommate's nose during an ID camp or seeing herself near the top of several Ragin' Cajuns soccer categories heading into her final season.
But the Super Senior is here. And in her final season in a Louisiana uniform, the perpetually upbeat Bedre has been a fixture in the lineup since first setting foot on campus and looks to move up the statistical ladder of all-time Ragin' Cajuns greats.
Even if she thought she would eventually end up playing near family in Illinois.
Bedre entered the 2023 season ranked in the top five in six categories – matches played (76), matches started (72), points (55), goals (19), assists (17), match-winning goals (6) and penalty kicks made (2). The Norco, Calif., native is on pace to set school records for both matches played and matches started by the time Sun Belt Conference play opens in October with a chance to move up several additional categories as the season goes on.
"I remember getting emails from schools and seeing Louisiana and I was like, 'I'm not going to go to Louisiana,'" said Bedre. "I thought I'd be somewhere in the Midwest because I wanted to be near family. I didn't really think of (Louisiana) as an option and I kind of put them on the back burner.
"But they (the coaching staff) kept e-mailing me and I saw them at games and I was like, let me give them a chance. We ended up keeping in touch and when I came on a visit (after Mardi Gras), I remember seeing beads in the trees and thinking what was that. Just meeting the girls and seeing the team, it kind of felt like a big family and was very comforting."
After coming on an unofficial visit, Bedre attended a Ragin' Cajuns ID camp where she had the unfortunate way of meeting her eventual roommate, Brhyde Camron, during her freshman year.
"I actually broke her nose," said Bedre. "We hadn't officially met yet, but we were scrimmaging and in the first 10 minutes of doing an ID camp, and I broke her nose. She committed here right after the ID camp and I committed later."
A 2021 All-Sun Belt Conference selection, a three-time All-Louisiana recipient and the LSWA Freshman of the Year in 2019, Bedre also never envisioned having to go through three coaching staffs in her five-year collegiate career.
Her hopes upon her arrival in 2019 were to get some playing time, make some friends and have somewhat of an impact on the program. Little did she know her impact would be great despite the changes in coaching staff.
Originally recruited by former head coach Scot Wieland, Bedre played her first three seasons in the Vermilion and White beginning in 2019 under Lance Key before current head coach Chris McBride took over the program in 2022.
In today's world of the transfer portal, most players would have left if given the chance. But the bond within the team and the support of the Lafayette community were key factors in keeping Bedre in a Ragin' Cajuns uniform
"The thing that has been most consistent has been the community and the support, regardless of who the coaching staff was," said Bedre. "We've always had the same support ... the amount of people in both athletics and in the community. We sometimes didn't have the greatest success, but they didn't see it that way.
"The team has been very supportive of each other. During changes in the coaching staff, it's always been like we're here for each other. Even this year, it's been so completely different in the sense of our team unity."
And with the community supporting Bedre and the Ragin' Cajuns, the team as a whole has reciprocated by actively given back to the community, whether it's visiting the local animal shelter, reading for elementary students or volunteering for road races.
And it's that team unity that stays intact – on or off the pitch.
"In the past, we had to decide if it was mandatory or optional," said Bedre. "This year, we don't really have to say that because everyone goes. We go as a team and support our community. You can tell the connection of the team is so strong, which you can see on the field.
"This summer we got here and started practicing right away. I believe that's the first time we ever came back early in the summer. In the past it was like, hey let's go kick the ball around and scrimmage. But this summer, it's been like let's go and this is what we're going to do. This season has felt a lot different than ever before."
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsSOC), Instagram (@RaginCajunsSOC) and Facebook (Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Soccer) or check RaginCajuns.com for Louisiana soccer updates.
She also didn't expect to go through three coaching staffs in her tenure as a collegiate soccer player, breaking her future roommate's nose during an ID camp or seeing herself near the top of several Ragin' Cajuns soccer categories heading into her final season.
But the Super Senior is here. And in her final season in a Louisiana uniform, the perpetually upbeat Bedre has been a fixture in the lineup since first setting foot on campus and looks to move up the statistical ladder of all-time Ragin' Cajuns greats.
Even if she thought she would eventually end up playing near family in Illinois.
Bedre entered the 2023 season ranked in the top five in six categories – matches played (76), matches started (72), points (55), goals (19), assists (17), match-winning goals (6) and penalty kicks made (2). The Norco, Calif., native is on pace to set school records for both matches played and matches started by the time Sun Belt Conference play opens in October with a chance to move up several additional categories as the season goes on.
"I remember getting emails from schools and seeing Louisiana and I was like, 'I'm not going to go to Louisiana,'" said Bedre. "I thought I'd be somewhere in the Midwest because I wanted to be near family. I didn't really think of (Louisiana) as an option and I kind of put them on the back burner.
"But they (the coaching staff) kept e-mailing me and I saw them at games and I was like, let me give them a chance. We ended up keeping in touch and when I came on a visit (after Mardi Gras), I remember seeing beads in the trees and thinking what was that. Just meeting the girls and seeing the team, it kind of felt like a big family and was very comforting."
After coming on an unofficial visit, Bedre attended a Ragin' Cajuns ID camp where she had the unfortunate way of meeting her eventual roommate, Brhyde Camron, during her freshman year.
"I actually broke her nose," said Bedre. "We hadn't officially met yet, but we were scrimmaging and in the first 10 minutes of doing an ID camp, and I broke her nose. She committed here right after the ID camp and I committed later."
A 2021 All-Sun Belt Conference selection, a three-time All-Louisiana recipient and the LSWA Freshman of the Year in 2019, Bedre also never envisioned having to go through three coaching staffs in her five-year collegiate career.
Her hopes upon her arrival in 2019 were to get some playing time, make some friends and have somewhat of an impact on the program. Little did she know her impact would be great despite the changes in coaching staff.
Originally recruited by former head coach Scot Wieland, Bedre played her first three seasons in the Vermilion and White beginning in 2019 under Lance Key before current head coach Chris McBride took over the program in 2022.
In today's world of the transfer portal, most players would have left if given the chance. But the bond within the team and the support of the Lafayette community were key factors in keeping Bedre in a Ragin' Cajuns uniform
"The thing that has been most consistent has been the community and the support, regardless of who the coaching staff was," said Bedre. "We've always had the same support ... the amount of people in both athletics and in the community. We sometimes didn't have the greatest success, but they didn't see it that way.
"The team has been very supportive of each other. During changes in the coaching staff, it's always been like we're here for each other. Even this year, it's been so completely different in the sense of our team unity."
And with the community supporting Bedre and the Ragin' Cajuns, the team as a whole has reciprocated by actively given back to the community, whether it's visiting the local animal shelter, reading for elementary students or volunteering for road races.
And it's that team unity that stays intact – on or off the pitch.
"In the past, we had to decide if it was mandatory or optional," said Bedre. "This year, we don't really have to say that because everyone goes. We go as a team and support our community. You can tell the connection of the team is so strong, which you can see on the field.
"This summer we got here and started practicing right away. I believe that's the first time we ever came back early in the summer. In the past it was like, hey let's go kick the ball around and scrimmage. But this summer, it's been like let's go and this is what we're going to do. This season has felt a lot different than ever before."
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsSOC), Instagram (@RaginCajunsSOC) and Facebook (Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Soccer) or check RaginCajuns.com for Louisiana soccer updates.
Players Mentioned
F
/ SoccerChris McBride Media Availability (Sept 1, 2025)
Monday, September 01
Chris McBride Media Availability (Aug 25, 2025)
Monday, August 25
Chris McBride Media Availability (Aug 20, 2025)
Wednesday, August 20
Chris McBride Media Availability (Oct 21, 2024)
Monday, October 21
