Zero to 90: The Relentless Rise of Jayna Searles

On paper, Jayna Searles' 2024 season was a blank slate.

She did not play a single minute of competitive soccer for Bowling Green State University that year. To anyone outside the program, she was simply waiting for her opportunity while she watched from the sideline and learned a brand-new tactical system.

Today, Searles is a starting right back and one of the team's most reliable leaders. Yet, her transformation from a walk-on to a 90-minute defensive anchor didn't happen all in one year.

Head coach Chris Fox describes Searles' journey as a classic Cinderella story, the kind of trajectory that can define a program's culture. It is a path that began with a walk-on simply hoping to find a place on the roster, moved through a strategic redshirt season without a single minute of playing time, and culminated in a major position switch that redefined her collegiate career.

"You've got someone that's gone from not playing at all, like struggling, to then being a 90-minute player and a really important player on the team," Fox said.

Earning a Roster Spot
In 2022, Searles came to Bowling Green from Mason, Ohio, where she had helped William Mason High School capture three Greater Miami Conference championships. In spite of her high school success, she walked onto the Falcons' squad without a scholarship, looking only for a chance to learn.

"I came on as a walk-on," Searles said. "So I didn't really expect to play much, but I really just wanted to learn and do whatever I could to help the team at that point."

Placed at striker to back up standout forward Kennedy White, a position Searles had never played, she embraced the role with an intensity that earned her the team's Most Improved Player honor as a freshman.

"Honestly, it was kind of funny because I was like, just this little baby freshman playing behind this tall, really good striker," Searles said. "It meant a lot to me because I was like, 'Oh, people recognize that I did put in hard work,' but also, I didn't want to play striker."

Despite her early accolades at striker, Searles spent her sophomore season in 2023 returning to her natural position in the central midfield. Although she still played a reserve role, appearing off the bench in 11 matches, her commitment to the team never wavered.

"When you come off the bench, it's a different mindset," Searles said. "Whatever time I was given, it was just like, 'Can I put in 100% effort and get those starters the rest?'"

A Season on the Sideline
Her collegiate career took an unexpected turn in 2024. When first-year head coach Chris Fox arrived and implemented a new tactical model, Searles remained in the central midfield. However, she found herself in a deep position group, competing for minutes directly with standout midfielder Emme Butera.

The tactical demands of the midfield quickly piled up. Fox noted that while Searles brought exceptional physical energy and technical skill, adjusting to the quick decision-making required in the center of the pitch under the new system took time. Behind established midfielders like Butera, she fell down the depth chart.

Rather than letting her lack of playing time affect her attitude, Searles focused on supporting the team.

"She was an unbelievable teammate. She didn't play any minutes but was so supportive of everybody and understanding of her role," Fox said.

Midway through the season, Searles and the coaching staff decided to preserve her eligibility by taking a redshirt year.

"Really, then, it took the pressure off myself, so I actually played better," Searles said. "I would just be the biggest cheerleader from the sideline, and that was my role, and that's what I tried to execute every day."

The bench became a classroom. From her sideline vantage point, Searles studied the new system, identified empty spaces, and learned how to communicate adjustments to her teammates during play.

"Getting to see that live and where the holes were, and where maybe I could come in and be an improvement when I was able to be back playing, was really beneficial," Searles said.

Rebuilding at Right Back
Following the 2024 season, Searles approached Fox to see if there were other positions on the field she could try. Fox evaluated her athletic attributes and realized her physical tools were a perfect match for the defensive back line.

"We need technical ability; we need quality on the ball," Fox said. "Jayna is also a plus of tremendous physical quality. She is fast, she is physical, she is strong."

Searles had zero experience as a fullback, so when spring practices began in 2025, she struggled with the change. While Fox recalled a shaky beginning, Searles threw herself into the mechanics of the position.

"Slowly, over time, she went from like zero to 100," Fox said. "By the end of the spring, it's like, 'This is your position.'"

Dismantling the Doubt
Learning the physical movements of a right back was straightforward compared to the mental challenge of playing on the edge.

"I'm a big overthinker, an overanalyzer, and that slows me down and makes me question myself," Searles said. "You don't want to overthink because then even if you have the right decision, you don't do it because it's too late and now it's not the right decision. That was something I really had to get over."

To break that cycle of hesitation, Searles established a weekly routine. She began meeting one-on-one with Fox in the film room, freezing clips to study her spacing, defensive positioning, and body shape. Reviewing the footage gave her a visual blueprint, allowing her to replace anxiety with instinct on game days.

That confidence faced another test in the summer of 2025, when the coaching staff recruited a transfer player specifically to compete for the right back spot. Instead of letting the roster move trigger her old overthinking habits, Searles focused entirely on her own preparation.

"I worked really hard at being the best fullback that I could be for the team," Searles said. "Not really being like, ' Oh, she's better than me, she's gonna start over me,' but just focusing on myself. That eventually, through preseason, got me to being a starter."

By the time the fall season arrived, Searles had secured the starting job. She started 21 of the Falcons' 22 matches in 2025, recording 1,662 minutes of action, which was the third-highest total among the team's field players.

She went from zero minutes to an exhaustive workload, playing full 90-minute shifts during conference shutouts and lasting over 100 minutes in consecutive double-overtime MAC tournament battles against Buffalo and Miami. Her efforts off the pitch also earned her Academic All-MAC and Academic All-District honors.

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