After struggling at times during the first two years of the reclassification process to Division I, the University of Northern Colorado soccer team, which won just nine combined games in those two years, produced a break through season in 2005, winning seven total games, tying in two other contests and winning four of their final six games of the season against a tough schedule.

Competing with a roster than featured a general youth movement (21 of the 29 players were underclassmen) the Bears started the season off on a hot streak, defeating Air Force and Charleston Southern to open the season before tying Creighton, a team that had been in the NCAA Tournament the season before. In the opener against their in-state rival Falcons, the Bears got a sign of things to come from their most talented freshman, Greeley native Jessica Zimmerman. Zimmerman set a program record with five points (the most ever be a freshman in their debut) by scoring twice and assisting on the Bears third goal. Zimmerman also scored in the second game and her goal with eight minutes left in regulation helped the Bears to a 2-2 tie with Creighton.

The Bears would suffer their first loss the following week at Idaho but finished that two-game road swing with a win over future conference rival Eastern Washington. After EWU won a one-goal game in Greeley in 2004, payback was in order in Cheney, as the Bears tied the game in the 64th minute on a goal by Chelsey Ekenberg and scored the victory when Zimmerman scored with just 50 seconds remaining in regulation.

The 3-1-1 start was the best since the 2002 season (when the team started 8-0-2), and gave the team some momentum entering the middle portion of the schedule. That part of the schedule, however, proved to be brutal for the team, as the Bears tied once and lost six other times in a seven-game stretch from mid-September to mid-October. Included in the stretch was a 3-1 loss to another Big Sky team in Portland State, a 3-0 blanking at Drake, a 4-1 loss to Big Sky Chapion Weber State (who advanced to the second round on the NCAA Tournament), a 2-0 loss to future conference foe in Idaho State and a 1-1 tie with Wright State.

In the sixth of seven games during the tough stretch of games, Northern Colorado suffered a 3-0 loss to another team that made the NCAA Tournament in Colorado; the Bears, however, would lose more than just the contest during the game. Junior goalkeeper Chrissy Marvin was spiked in the leg in the second half and had to leave the contest. She would miss the next four games while recovering.

In her absence the Bears turned to freshman Dana Garrett, who got her first collegiate start at fellow Division I Independent North Dakota State. Garrett made two saves but NDSU would come out on top with a 3-2 victory, pushing the Bears record to just 3-7-2. Two days later Garrett and the team would bounce back with a 2-0 shutout victory over another Division I Independent rival in South Dakota State. A game later the scoreless streak reached two games as the Bears shutout Division II Cal State San Bernardino, producing the team's first back-to-back shutouts since the beginning of the 2003 season.

Another Big Sky foe, Northern Arizona, would put an end to the Bears scoreless outings, as they turned the tables on Northern Colorado winning 3-0 in Flagstaff. That defeat was followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to regional rival Wyoming, the third straight time the Cowgirls had topped the Bears by a lone goal.

But the season would end on a high note as the team traveled to Georgia to participate in Kennesaw State's year-end tournament. After tying a very good KSU team the year before, the Bears were able to defeat the Owls on their home field, getting a pair of goals from freshman Whitney Hawkins in winning 2-0. A day later the Bears took care of Francis Marion 2-1 to end the season with seven wins, the highest total since the 2001 season.

Following the year, Zimmerman, who had nine goals, nine assists and 27 total points during her rookie year, earned Division I Independent Offensive Player of the Year honors. She was joined on the All-Independent team by sophomore defender Megan Miller, who helped key an improving Bears defense. Four other players - midfielder Megan Bellendir, midfielder Laura Hassebroek, forward Marika Johnson and goalkeeper Chrissy Marvin - each earned D-I All-Independent honorable mention honors.